Fire fighters from CATALONIA

need international support

take a picture or video

and send it to us

We need fire fighters of the world to show us their support. Download the poster, print it and write the name of your fire station. Take a picture with your colleagues, in fire fighter uniforms, in your fire station and send it to us

Córdoba - Argentina

Bomberos Voluntarios de Devoto

Augusta, Maine, USA

Ben Pratt

I have collected signatures on your manifesto, against violence and in defense of Democracy and Freedom for Catalan people

Who are we?

We are fire fighters who, when off duty, are getting out on the streets to defend the population from the Spanish police attacks

About Us

Dear fire fighters of the world,

We, the fire fighters of Catalonia, ask for your support in protecting the fundamental rights of our citizens.

On September 6th 2017, the parliament of Catalonia approved the Self-determination of Catalonia Referendum Act. A binding self-determination referendum was then called for October 1st 2017.

During the weeks leading up to the poll, the people of Catalonia suffered serious violations of fundamental rights and freedom. Events escalated to the point where the most basic democratic rights were trampled on.

In this process we have also seen freedom of press, expression and assembly restricted, and elected and public officials in our country have been threatened with bans from office, penalties and court action.

We have also suffered political threats through fear, and searches of printing shops, newsrooms and mail companies; we have 700 mayors being called to declare by the prosecutor's office; public workers and government advisers have been arrested and unfairly accused of breaching civil rights; websites providing information have been closed; and the Catalan police force (the Mossos d’Esquadra) has been taken over and its commander accused of sedition. However, despite the obstacles, on October 1st we Catalans voted. But the price of exercising our freedom to vote was very high: too high. The repression by the Spanish National Police and Civil Guard trampled the honour of the Catalan people on the political orders of the Spanish State. The same Spanish government which has refused dialogue as many as 17 times, wanted to prevent citizens putting a ballot sheet into a ballot box with violent and disproportionate physical and verbal attacks on peaceful, defenceless people upholding their democratic rights.

Faced with these unexpected events, on the day the referendum was held, we fire fighters off duty volunteered to go out on the streets to protect the physical integrity of citizens. We organised security cordons to protect people and ballot boxes peacefully. But the militarised police forces ended our peaceful resistance with baton blows, kicks, punches, harassment and injuries we will never forget. Citizens of all ages were indiscriminately attacked and we uniformed fire fighters became human shields.

That’s why we are writing to you, to ask you to show your support as citizens and fire fighters of the world. This account of very serious events has not been condemned by the majorities in the European or Spanish parliaments. They do not even acknowledge that it happened, but they also deny there has been any referendum in Catalonia. Even the King of Spain, Philip VI, has followed this line.

Letter and manifesto

Contact

If you want to come and help us defend the civil population in the struggle of democracy, the rights and freedoms of our people, contact us!
We will meet you with our arms open and will find accommodation for you.